Study on the Effect of External Magnetic Stimulation on Patients With Parkinson's Disease

The purpose of this research study is to test the usefulness of external magnetic stimulation (EMS) for treating the motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Participants with Parkinson's disease will be recruited at the PADRECC of the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. Enrolled participants will be randomly assigned to receive either active external magnetic stimulation or fake stimulation. The external magnetic stimulation is delivered by wearing a helmet that is embedded with many small circuits which produce a very small magnetic field around the head. The helmet is to be worn daily for two minutes immediately before bedtime for three months in a row. The helmet is for investigational use only and has not been approved for use by the FDA.

Current research seeks to provide a drug-free, non-invasive and non-toxic therapy for Parkinson's disease through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the form of picoTesla magnetic therapy (pTMT). This therapy consists of an electronic device that emits magnetic flux densities that are more than ten million times lower than the magnetic flux density of the earth's magnetic field. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy aims to manipulate overall quality of life by improving motor function, as well as cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression.